Abstract: A vacuum treatment system has a vacuum treatment chamber, with a sensor arrangement to detect the treatment atmosphere momentarily existing in the treatment area. An ACTUAL value sensor of the sensor arrangement for one or more of the elements to establish a treatment atmosphere is a regulating element of a control circuit for the treatment atmosphere in the treatment area. A workpiece carrier is drivably movable in the chamber through the treatment area having the treatment atmosphere. At least one of the elements modulates the treatment atmosphere in the treatment area according to a defined profile as a function of the workpiece carrier position. A process is disclosed for manufacturing workpieces, in which the workpieces are guided to a vacuum treatment area guided by a control. The treatment atmosphere is modulated in the treatment area as a function of workpiece position with the defined profile.

Abstract: A process and an arrangement are described by means of which it is possible to generate a layer system for the protection against wear, for the protection against corrosion and for improving the sliding properties or the like, which has an adhesive layer for the arrangement on a substrate, a transition layer for the arrangement on the adhesive layer and a cover layer of an adamantine carbon, the adhesive layer comprising at least one element from the Group which contains the elements of the 4th, 5th and 6th Subgroup and silicon, the transition layer comprising carbon and at least one element from the above-mentioned Group, and the cover layer consisting essentially adamantine carbon, the layer system having a hardness of at last 15 GPa, preferably at least 20 GPa, and an adhesion of at least 3 HF according to VDI 3824, Page 4.

Abstract: Disclosed are workpieces, especially those made of steel or hard metals, provided with at least two coatings of a wear-protective system, which qualities are improved even with high system thickness, so that adjoining coatings are realized with differing crystallographic privileged directions.

Abstract: A vacuum treatment system has an outer housing which defines a substantially cylindrical inner wall around an axis. At least two openings are provided for treating or conveying-through a respective workpiece arranged along at least one great circle of the cylindrical inner wall. One treatment, conveying or lock chamber respectively, is connected with the at least two openings. An inner housing defines a cylindrical outer wall and, together with the substantially cylindrical inner wall, forms a substantially cylindrical ring gap. A workpiece carrier carousel is rotationally drivable about the axis in the ring gap. A feed device comprising driving devices is movable in a radially driven manner on the inner housing and is aligned with the at least two openings. The driving devices act into the ring gap, and each of the driving devices has a separate drive.

Abstract: A process for the vacuum treatment of workpieces, includes loading the workpieces into a treatment facility, surface treating the workpieces in at least one vacuum station of the facility grouped as a station batch and controlling at least the timing of the process by a freely programmable process controller unit. At least two stations operating each on workpiece batches can be grouped as respective station batches and be different with respect to number of workpieces. The workpieces can be transported to and from the grouped stations. An embodiment of vacuum treatment system for such a process includes at least one vacuum treatment station for workpieces grouped as a station batch. A transport system supplies the vacuum station with workpieces. A process controller unit has an output operationally connected to a drive arrangement for the transport system. The unit controls operating timing of the treatment system and is freely programmable.

Abstract: A method uses a treatment process for surfaces which subsequently are to be connected by bonding, gluing or molding. The surfaces are exposed to an atmosphere with activated hydrogen. The connection is made a process step for eliminating the conservation treatment. The surfaces can be subjected to a plasma discharge in an atmosphere containing hydrogen. The plasma discharge is operated by a cathode/anode path as a DC discharge, and using a thermionic cathode as the cathode. The workpiece to be stored in air comprises a connection, which by gluing, bonding or molding, is subjectable to substantially higher stress than an identical workpiece which is stored in an identical manner, this being determinable by essentially identical Auger diagrams.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an object in a vacuum treatment apparatus having a vacuum recipient for containing an atmosphere, includes the steps of supporting a substrate on a work piece carrier arrangement in the recipient and treating the substrate to manufacture the object in the vacuum recipient. The treating process includes generating electrical charge carriers in the atmosphere and in the recipient which are of the type that form electrically insulating material and providing at least two electroconductive surfaces in the recipient. Power, such as a DC signal, is supplied to at least one of the electroconductive surfaces so that at least one of the electroconductive surfaces receives the electrically insulating material for covering at least part of that electroconductive surface. This causes electrical isolation of that electroconductive surface which leads to arcing and damage to the object.

Abstract: A process for the vacuum treatment of workpieces, includes loading the workpieces into a treatment facility, surface treating the workpieces in at least one vacuum station of the facility grouped as a station batch and controlling at least the timing of the process by a freely programmable process controller unit. At least two stations operating each on workpiece batches can be grouped as respective station batches and be different with respect to number of workpieces. The workpieces can be transported to and from the grouped stations. An embodiment of vacuum treatment system for such a process includes at least one vacuum treatment station for workpieces grouped as a station batch. A transport system supplies the vacuum station with workpieces. A process controller unit has an output operationally connected to a drive arrangement for the transport system. The unit controls operating timing of the treatment system and is freely programmable.

Abstract: A vacuum treatment apparatus (FIG. 13) includes a vacuum recipient or chamber (3) for containing an atmosphere. A mechanism (50,52) for generating electrical charge carriers in the atmosphere is provided in the recipient, the electrical charge carriers being of the type that form electrically isolating material. The recipient also contains a work piece carrier arrangement (1) and at least two electroconductive surfaces (2a, 2b) which are mutually electrically isolated from each other. A DC power supply (8) is operationally connected to the electroconductive surfaces by respective electrical conductors with an inductor (L.sub.66) in one of the conductors. A parallel switching arrangement is connected between the electrical conductors to control a current path between the conductors.

Abstract: An environmentally stable silver containing mirror having very high reflection values over a large spectral range comprises a silver containing layer disposed on a substrate, which is covered by a zinc sulfide layer. So that the sulfur being set free during the application or during the vaporization of the zinc sulfide to be applied, does not attack the silver, at least one barrier or intermediate layer is placed between the silver containing layer and the zinc sulfide layer.

Abstract: A coating station has a flat sputter source opposite a workpiece receiving arrangement is configured as a planet arrangement. The rotating axes (A.sub.P) of the planets intersect one another on a rotating axis (A.sub.S) of the sun system on the side facing away from the sputter source. As a result, substrates, particularly optical lenses, can be coated in extremely small batches according to given formulas in an advantageously flexible manner.

Abstract: At least one chamber is provided for transport of workpieces such as storage disks, at least at times, into the vacuum atmosphere, during their manufacturing and comprises at least two exterior openings for the guiding-through of a workpiece. A majority of workpiece-receiving devices can be rotated jointly about an axis. At least one transport element is provided and is aligned with an opening. The transport element is disposed in the chamber independently of the rotatable workpiece-receiving devices and can be moved out and back in a radially controlled manner in at least one component, and engages on a workpiece in the opening area. A transport method for workpieces in an evacuatable chamber provides that at least two workpieces are rotated about a center in a plane of rotation and are displaced individually in a radial manner with respect to the center of rotation at least in one movement component.

Abstract: A method for monitoring the actual flow of a gas into a vacuum facility, which flow of gas resulting from setting a desired flow of gas by means of at least one adjustable mass flow controller, interconnected between said facility and a pressurized reservoir arrangement for said gas.

Abstract: A tool has a tool body and a wear resistant layer system, which layer system has at least one layer of MeX. Me comprises titanium and aluminum and X is nitrogen or carbon. The tool has a tool body of high speed steel (HSS) or of cemented carbide, but it is not a solid carbide end mill and not a solid carbide ball nose mill. In the MeX layer, the quotient Q.sub.I as defined by the ratio of the diffraction intensity I(200) to I(111) assigned respectively to the (200) and (111) plains in the X ray diffraction of the material using .theta.-2.theta. method is selected to be .gtoreq.1. Further, the I(200) is at least twenty times larger than the intensity average noise value, both measured with a well-defined equipment and setting thereof.

Abstract: A target arrangement for a sputtering apparatus has a circular plate target with either a circumferential protrusion or recess which is symmetrical about a central plane through the target, the plane being perpendicular to the central axis of the target and located halfway between the top and bottom surfaces of the target. Each surface of the target is composed primarily of sputtering material. A magnetron for use with the target arrangement for easy changing of the target to sputter using the opposite surface of the target is disclosed. A process for using the target arrangement and magnetron assembly to sputter a work piece is also disclosed.

Abstract: A magnetron sputtering source and a method of use thereof on which the sputtering source has at least two toroidal magnetron electron taps each defining a maximum of a magnetic field strength component in a radial direction along a surface of the sputtering source. Thereby, from each one of a ring zone on a first smaller radius R.sub.1F and a second larger radius R.sub.2F, a plane of the workpiece in a holder facing the sputtering source has a corresponding distance d.sub.1 and d.sub.2. A value d assumes all possible values of d1 and d2. In particular,0.8.ltoreq.(R.sub.2F -R.sub.1F)/d.ltoreq.3.0and preferably1.0.ltoreq.(R.sub.2F -R.sub.1F)/d.ltoreq.2.2.The arrangement defines a sputtering geometry with the process space essentially at very short target-to-substrate distance and with a defined dual concentric narrow plasma discharge with correspondingly defined concentrated plasma inclusion, whereby the substrate damage is reduced and high process economies are achieved.

Abstract: A capacitively coupled Rf plasma reactor and method in which first and second extended electrode arrangements are mutually and substantially constantly spaced and substantially enclose a plasma reaction volume within a reactor chamber. The first of the electrode arrangements is subdivided into electrically mutually isolated subelectrodes, and the second is a substrate carrier electrode for an extended substrate to be surface treated in the reactor. A first group of the subelectrodes is connected to a common first electric input, and a second group of the subelectrodes is commonly connected to a second electric input. The first and said second electric inputs being independent. Only one Rf signal generator providing an electric output is connected to both the first and second electric inputs via respective signal adjusting units to control ion bombardment on and along the flat substrate.

Abstract: An information carrier has at least two solid material interfaces at which information is, or may be applied and where the information is stored by local modulation of at least one characteristic of the solid material. Reflection of electromagnetic radiation at the interface depends on this characteristic. The information carrier further includes at least one intermediate layer between the two solid material interfaces. The intermediate layer transmits the radiation and is at least predominantly made of either Si.sub.x C.sub.y or Si.sub.v N.sub.w, or both.

Abstract: A coating station has a flat sputter source opposite a workpiece receiving arrangement is configured as a planet arrangement. The rotating axes (A.sub.p) of the planets intersect one another on a rotating axis (A.sub.s) of the sun system on the side facing away from the sputter source. As a result, substrates, particularly optical lenses, can be coated in extremely small batches according to given formulas in an advantageously flexible manner.

Abstract: A device for transporting substrates through a vacuum system has a flat, parallel piped, plate-shaped substrate holder with upper and lower holder areas that are moveable in a vertical position along a transport path through the system. The upper part of the substrate holder is supported without contact and is movably guided by a magnetic arrangement.